The Mini-Vinnies & CST at Holy Family
Mini-Vinnies
What are the Mini Vinnies?
‘Mini Vinnies’ is the name for a St Vincent de Paul Group for primary aged children. At Holy Family, when you reach Year 5, you become a member of the Mini Vinnies. With the principles of Catholic Social Teaching (CST) at our core, we get together to organise and run initiatives centered upon helping others in need within our school community, the local area and nationally.
What happens at a Mini Vinnies’ meeting?
Miss. McNulty, the Year 5 teacher, co-ordinates the group, giving us help and advice on the practicalities of our ideas.
- The president opens the meeting with a prayer
- A short spiritual reading/ reflection/ piece of music/ meditation follows the prayer.
- Group members then talk about the Mini Vinnies' activities that have taken place since the previous meeting. Any future plans are then discussed, shared and actioned.
- We then share our ideas with the rest of school, asking them to help and support us.
Following the principles of CST, below are some of the activities that the Mini Vinnies have organised:
Book Swap
'Book Swaps' take place on a regular basis at Holy Family. The intention is to ensure that all pupils have access to quality reading texts, even though their families may not be able to afford to buy them. After all, at Holy Family, 'Reading is King'. 
Through this act, we are living out the CST principles of 'Preferential Option for the Poor', 'Solidarity' and 'Common Good'.
Cake Sale to raise funds for the Red Cross Ukrainian Appeal, living out the CST principles of 'Rights & Responsibilities', 'Solidarity' and 'Human Dignity'.
We raised £100!
Sweets Galore! A sweet sale to raise money for CAFOD, living out the CST principles of 'Rights & Responsibilities', 'Solidarity' and 'Human Dignity'.
'Pyjama Day'
'Pyjama Day' on 15th, March, organised by our Mini Vinnies, raised £150.34. Funds collected were split between CAFOD and 'The Great Tommy Sleepout'.
Mini Vinnies
2024-2025
Term 1 2024-25 saw the appointment of President, Vice president and Treasurer for the coming year:
President: George
Vice President: Ire
Treasurer: Hudson
We look forward to seeing their ideas for putting Catholic Social Teaching into action at Holy Family.
Please scan the QR codes below to see their winning speeches.
CST in Action at
Holy Family 2024-25!
Our first fundraising event this year was hugely successful. We are so lucky to be part of a community that is so generous and supportive, not just in their donations but purchasing a cake or two back again! :)
Please scan the QR code below for a 'thank-you' from all our Mini Vinnies for the WHOPPING grand total we were able to raise. As our Vice President says in the video, this money will go into our 'School Trip Money Pot'. This will help bring the cost down for any class in the school wanting to explore our community.
Mini-Vinnies ‘Book Swap’
Helping to ensure that everyone at Holy Family has access to quality reading materials, our wonderful Mini-Vinnies organised another of their ‘Book Swap’ events.
All pupils were encouraged to bring in a book that they no longer needed and exchange it for a new ‘good read’ at no cost.
The whole enterprise was planned and co-ordinated by the pupils themselves, knowing that ‘Reading is King’ at HF and wanting to make sure that everyone had equality of access!
Merry Christmas from all our Mini Vinnies
Mini Vinnies joined in the festivities at our annual Christmas Fayre this year. Everyone had so much fun 'pieing' the brave Mini volunteers, who all signed up without hesitation! They were absolutely amazing and as you will see from the pictures below, they thoroughly enjoyed it - although we are sure some parents enjoyed it much more than they did 
We raised over £60, which was split between CAFOD and local children's charities. We cannot wait to see what we can do next.
This Term 
are launching the 'Open a Door' initiative in connection to the Pope's Jubilee Year - Pilgrims of Hope.
This project encourages us to reflect on ways in which we can bring hope and kindness into our community.
Entering someone's space requires an invitation and an open door. In this Jubilee year, the Holy Door in Rome was opened, inviting everyone to become pilgrims of Hope. A pilgrimage is a journey filled with the expectation of encountering God, and this year, Mini-Vinnies want to emphasise that behind every door we open, and every doorway we enter, we should anticipate meeting with God.
Every day, Mini-Vinnies members step through the doors of those in need of care, support, friendship, and hope.
Through small acts of generosity and compassion, we can all make a meaningful difference to everyone we meet!
Each month, Mini Vinnies will send out a new prayer and a special door to open in every class, symbolising an opportunity to help others and grow in faith.
Keep an eye on our class page for all the wonderful things we'll be doing in school and in the community during this pilgrimage year.
During the Month of February:
In St Anthony's class, we have created beautiful pictures that will be sent to the local care home to spread the message of love and community. Our hope is that these pictures will bring a smile to the faces of the residents, to let them know they are not alone and that we are thinking of them.
During the month of March:
